Salaried Lead Chef - Senior Living Dining & Nutrition

Heritage Senior Communities; Byron Township (MI); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

Heritage Senior Communities in Michigan is seeking a skilled Chef to oversee a high-quality dining program for residents, balancing preferences, dietary needs, and safety regulations. You will maintain a clean, well-organized kitchen and provide positive leadership for culinary staff, ensuring meals are prepared to serve-on-time and at the right temperature.

The role requires a Chef degree or certified program (or equivalent experience), HACCP/ServSafe certification, expertise in geriatric

Qualifications

• Degree or certification as Chef from a culinary institute or certified program; or Restaurant/Food and Beverage management.
• Must maintain Food Protection Manager and HACCP Certification (ServSafe) in food service safety and sanitation.
• Knowledge of geriatric dietary needs and concerns; menu planning; kitchen management.
• Strong leadership and motivational skills for staff supervision, training and leadership.
• Excellent cooking skills with experience in catering or culinary services management.
• Good math skills to adapt ingredient measurements for recipes.
• Exemplary time management and organizational abilities for meals prepared on time at correct temperatures.
• Aware of guidelines governing safe storage and handling of food to prevent contamination or spoilage.

Responsibilities

• Menu planning considering resident preferences, seasonal produce, and dietary needs; maintain inventory for at least 3 days of meals and emergency supplies.
• Meal service: ensure meals are prepared and served on time at proper temperature; establish standardized recipes and production standards.
• Resident satisfaction: address resident likes/dislikes, review preferences with move-ins, lead Chef Forum monthly for feedback.
• Resident well-being: contribute to resident assessments for nutritional needs and ensure diet orders are followed.
• Financial compliance: manage food/beverage budgets, inventory, and tracking of meals for billing.
• HR - staff hiring, training, supervision, and performance reviews; schedule using time-tracking; manage overtime.
• Sanitation: maintain cleanliness of kitchen and equipment; ensure safe storage and handling practices.
• Regulatory compliance: follow health department and SERVSAFE standards.
• Other duties: participate in outreach and marketing activities with hospitality focus.

Skills

Leadership

Menu planning

Food safety

Sanitation

Geriatric nutrition

Staff training

Time management

Cooking skills

Math skills

Education

Chef degree / culinary institute

Food & Beverage management certification

ServSafe / HACCP certification

Job description

Heritage Senior Communities in Michigan is seeking a skilled Chef to oversee a high-quality dining program for residents, balancing preferences, dietary needs, and safety regulations. You will maintain a clean, well-organized kitchen and provide positive leadership for culinary staff, ensuring meals are prepared to serve-on-time and at the right temperature.

The role requires a Chef degree or certified program (or equivalent experience), HACCP/ServSafe certification, expertise in geriatric